Log-haul chair



Nov. 26,1195? A. F. RICE 2,814,258

' LOG-BAUL CHAIR l5 /5 /7 JNVENToR.

BY WMM M, 4W),

Nov. 26, 1957 A. F. RICE f 2,814,258

Y Los-mur. CHAIR Filed April 2v, 195s 2 sheets-sheet 2 nited StatesPatent LOG-HAUL CHAIR Alexander F. Rice, Fort Bragg, Calif.

Application April 27, 1953, Serial No. 351,418

6 Claims. (Cl. 10S-160.5)

My present invention relates to the logging industry and moreparticularly to apparatus used in hauling logs to the saw machinery inlarge saw mills, the said apparatus being referred to in the industry asa log-haul chai-r.

The principal object of my invention is to produce an improved log-haulchair.

Another object is to produce an improved log-haul chair wheel axle ofsimplicity of construction and assembly.

Other objects and novel features comprising the construction andoperation of the invention will he more apparent as the description ofthe same progresses.

ln the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the log-haul chair;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the log-haul chair;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, the opposite side being a duplicate thereof;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation, the opposite end being a duplicate thereof,and

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 looking in thedirection of the arrows but with the projection being made from a topplan position.

The log-haul chair is designed particularly for large timber such aslarge redwood trees in which the diameter of the trees are sometimesnine or more feet in diameter. The log-haul chair is in the nature of acarriage approximately twenty-seven inches long, eighteen inches wide,ten inches deep, and supported on four railroad-type anged wheelsoperating on railroad rails of approximate forty pound cross-section.

The chairs are coupled together by chain links and when loaded travel inan endless belt manner on upper rails returning on similar lower rails,not shown, the upper rails being indicated in dot-and-dash lines inFigs. 3, 4 and 5. The chain of chairs move between guides indicated at11 in Fig. 5, the top surface of the guide portion 11 and the topcontact surfaces of the chairs are curved with a radius of approximatelyseven feet similar to the radius of the top surface of the guideportions 11, the top surfaces of the chair being slightly above the topsurfaces of the portions 11 and carrying the weight of the logs.

Referring more specically to the chair construction which is ofrectangular symmetrical shape of H form in cross-section and having ahorizontally located mid-section 12 engaging with side portions 13 and14 and end portions 15 and 16.

Fig. 3 shows the long side 14 the lower right and left hand portions ofwhich form skirt portions 17 and 18. The opposite side 13 is similar toside 14. The upper portions of sides 13 and 14 continue the full lengthof the chair. On the top side of the chair above the portion 12 and onthe side portions 13 and 14 are located longitudinally raised ribportions and 26 extending across the entire structure and having lowercross ribs 27 and 28 separating longitudinal ribs 25 and 29.Longitudinal ribs 30 and 14 are separated by cross ribs 31 and 32. Be-

' ine tween ribs 13 and 29 and part of end portions 15 and 16 are endcross ribs 33 and 34 respectively of the same height as cross ribs 27and 28. Similarly end cross ribs 35 and 36 are provided on therespective ends 15 and 16.

Between the longitudinal rib portions 29 and 30 are high rib portions29a, 30a, 33a and 34a, the top surfaces or which are of the same radiusas the top surfaces of the longitudinal rib portions 25, 26, 29 and 30and conform to the general curvature of the upper surfaces of the guideways, 11, and form a cradle-like surface for logs placed on the chairs.The radial curvature of the top surfaces of the guide portions 11 andthe chair may vary in mechanical design to suit the average diameter ofthe type of logs being handled. On the rib portions 25, 26, 29 and 30are spur members 20 provided for the purpose of engaging the logs andpreventing slippage of the logs on the chair when carrying the logs intoa saw mill.

Located between cross ribs 27 and 23 and 31 and 32 are wearing strips 40and 41 being secured to the midsection 12 by means of bolts 42 the headsof which are counter sunk in the upper face of the strips 40 and 41.

As previously stated the chairs are linked together and travelhorizontally in an endless belt manner over sprockets, not shown,located at each end of the assembly. The chairs return from below in anup-side-down position, the wearing strips 40 and 41 engaging and slidingon a lower set of rails similar to rails 10 but not shown in thedrawings.

Skirt portions 17a and 18a on the under side of and attached to themid-section 12 are in transverse alignment with the skirt portions 17and 18. Through these skirt portions are located stationary axle memberson which are journalled the anged wheels which are engaged with theupper rails 10 when delivering logs to the mill machinery, theparticular means for holding the axles in the skirt portions will bedescribed further along in the description.

Longitudinally depending from the mid-section 12 are parallel webportions and 61 in which are locked the pins 63. The pins 63 provideanchors for the chain links 65 indicated in dot-and-dash lines in Fig.2. A sprocket-tooth socket is provided between the web portions 60 and61 through the mid-section 12. The sprocket-tooth socket opening 7i) isprovided for the purpose of receiving alternate sprocket teeth of asprocket. Other alternate teeth of the same sprocket engage the speciallink 65. Said links not shown in detail as they are not claimed in thisapplication.

The wheels 5S are of special design being provided with bushings securedin the said wheels. An annular grease chamber is provided in the body ofthe wheels communicating with the iixed axles 50 by means for ports 81.The grease chamber 30 is communicated with through an inlet portpreferably fitted with a conventional grease pressure tting, not shown.

One of the novel features of my invention comprises the means forlocking the axles 50 in the skirts of the chair, which will now bedescribed.

It should be noted that the axles have no anges or other protrudingportion on the cylindrical sides. The inner end of the axles areprovided with a stepped back shoulder 91 which engages against adepending portion 92 iiXed to the skirt portions 17a and 18a, the lowerface of the depending portion 92 being horizontal flat surfaces engagingin the shoulders 91 of the axles 50. The inside face of the dependingportions 92 are at rightangles to the flat bottom surface. The verticalshouldered face of the axles engage against the vertical face of thedepending portion 92 which closes a segment of the opening in the skirtportions 17a and 18a. End movement of the axles areprevented by means ofthe cotter pins 95 which arelocated through the ends ofthe axles.

The chain link anchor pins 63 are locked in the longitudinal web portion60 by the portions 96 xed to the webs 97 4and r60, and the cotter pins98.

:It will .thus lbe seen that the axles '50 cannotrotate in the skirt-portions of the chair andcannot 'moveendwise withoutremova'l of thecotter pins. When the cotter pins are removed the axles may be removedwith a minimum of effort.

In operation, logs are loaded on the chain of chairs and are ycarried'from a loading position up into a saw mill where they are delivered toa saw carriage. The spurs 20 engage the peeled sides of the logs as gthelog-chair-chain-deliver them to the saw carriage keeping the logsfromslipping onfthe chairs.

The linked-together chairs comprise an endless belt passingover'vlarge-sprockets at-'either end ofthe assembly. The chairs are solspaced thatfeveryother sprocket tooth engages a chair through thesocket opening '70. Other alternate sprocket 'teethengage the links 65.Below the upper rails 10 arelocated asecond set of rails, not shown. Thewearing strips 40 and 41 slide on these return rails until the chairsare picked up by a sprocket at the starting end ofthe-assembly.

While -I have described my invention somewhat in detail, yet it is to beunderstood that I lmay vary the size and proportions within widelatitude'while still remaining within-the-spirit of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new is:

1. An improved `log-haul chair vfor hauling logs into a saw millcomprising, a cradle structure having an upper face provided withlongitudinal ribs extending the entire length of the structure 'forreceiving said logs, a central mid-section 'below vsaid ribs, skirtportions located below said mid-section on each end of'said structure,four lhanged wheels located inthelower portion'of'the structure, eachwheel being journalled on axles fixed in said skirt portions, anchormeans llocated below said mid-section for engaging chain linkage, and asprocket-tooth-socket located through -said central mid-section.

2. An improved log-haul chair for hauling logs as set forth in claim 1in which removable wearing strips are mounted -on -said mid-sectionsurface and having -upper surface portions projecting above said crossribs between said longitudinal rib portions.

3. An improved log-haul chair for hauling logs as set forth in claim 2in which the upper cradle face of said structure is concavedtransversely of said chair.

4. An improved log-haul chair for hauling logs as set forth in claim 3in which the vertical sides of central web portions areprovidedwithdepending members partially covering openings in .said web4.portions through which said axles are located, shouldered end portionslocated on said axles engaging with said dependingxportions, cotter pinslocated through said axles on-outside of said web portions.

5. An improved log-haul chair for hauling logs in a saw mill as setforth in claim 4 in which said anged wheels are provided with aninternal grease chamber, and means for admitting grease Sto said chamberand means for said grease to pass from said chamber =to said axles.

6. An improved log-haul `chair for hauling ylogs finto saw millscomprising, a cradle structure of H transverse cross-sectionhaving lowerskirtand webs 'for journalling wheels therein, one pair of wheels to aside, a sprockettooth-slot locatedthrough the central horizontal webportion of said H cross-section, the upper side of said web portionhaving longitudinal vertical web-like ribs, lower inner yweb-like ribs`paralleling the :rst said ribs, the top of said ribs being `providedwith spur portions, the yends -of said flower ribs lbeing joinedtogether by a'radiallycurved transverse ribs, one-'at each end,replaceable friction shoes attached to said Hweb cross-section betweenfthe high and 'low longitudinal ribs, and cross pins located below saidH web-section for receiving chain links.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS200,646 Divoll Feb 26, 1878 1,328,749 Meehan Ian. 20, A1920 1,644,012fEdmunds Oct. 4, 1927 1,974,018 Edmunds Sept. 18, 1934 2,101,208Willoughby Dec. 7, 1937

